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Letters to the Editor Tuesday

Posted: December 4, 2012 - 1:06am

It is clear neither political party is serious about reducing our deficit.

Reducing the amount you wanted to spend in future years is not a spending reduction. If we had serious desire to reduce spending, our elected officials would totally revise the tax code, reduce government employment by at least 10 percent immediately and stop every non essential program immediately.

A small example is free cell phones. No one must have a cell phone. We have millions of folks who get free cell phones with 250 minutes every month.

We taxpayers pay for this. There are hundreds and hundreds of programs like this. They are examples of politicians buying votes.

In this area, we do not have a single elected official who is truly fighting to reduce what we spend. They always find excuses to spend more.

Every American household should pay some taxes for benefits received. It may only be $1, but it should be something.

All these folks who keep talking about free this and free that are not being honest. All these giveaway programs cost someone something.

We heard our president talk about the free stuff in the health care law. He is lying to us. There is nothing free in the health care law. Those who think otherwise are deceiving themselves.

Who is going to pay for all this free stuff when we all run out of money?

What kind of future are we building for our children and grandchildren?

Yes, we need to help those who truly need help. However, the bar should be fairly high. The waste in government programs is sinful and all of our elected officials know this but will not be honest with us.

It is abundantly clear those we elect put themselves and their political ideology above our republic.

BILL LUTES

Savannah

Unopposed congressmen part of the problem

The network of graft that exists between big business and government has been in place in America for a long time.

It appears today to be impenetrable and as such certain to bring about the demise of our precious democracy. This fundamental flaw in the way democracy responds to capitalism and vice versa enables a small segment of our population known as the “elite” to short circuit the will and good of the electorate through insular and bogus practices.

The way Washington does business today produces a gravy train of financial awards and favor for a select few, while burying the rest of us in hopeless debt.

They are accountable only to each other. These elite are our politicians, CEOs, special interest and the lobbying firms who keep the whole gaggle glued together. Their goal is to maintain the status quo.

Hence the frantic talks about a “fiscal cliff.” I think we went over that cliff some time back.

All one has to do is look at the debt clock or the comparison between congressional approval ratings, in some polls this year (as low as 10 percent) and reelection retention rates (consistently well above 80 percent). You see that something is terribly wrong.

Even if you wanted to vote out your congressman, you can’t do it most years because they are running “unopposed.”

Democracy? I don’t think so.

DIANE FITCH

Savannah

Savannah rapidly losing it’s tree canopy

Savannah was once rightfully called a “Forest City.” How true this was back when James Oglethorpe landed on Yamacraw Bluff in 1733.

The colonists found a dense forest of pines and hardwoods putting healthy oxygen into the air, and providing cooling shade and plenty of lumber for building.

Flash forward to the Savannah of today. Our tree canopy is rapidly disappearing to make room for parking lots, golf courses, big box stores, subdivisions and more strip malls.

One example is the recent destruction of many 200-year-old oak trees along the path of the Truman Parkway Extension. This is one of the many senseless acts allowed in our city by our elected officials, who are not thinking into the future.

Recently, all of the healthy maples were cut from the parking lot in front of the Piggly Wiggly in Sandfly. There is no shade in which to park now and the lovely show of autumn leaves is gone.

Here’s a suggestion. What about purchasing a live Christmas tree this year rather than a cut tree? Decorate and enjoy it and after the holidays, plant it in your yard. If you don’t have room in your yard, offer it to a neighbor who does.

Our live Leyland Cypress tree came from Home Depot seven years ago and today it is nearly 40 feet tall. It is a welcomed addition to our landscape. In hot weather, the temperature is 5-10 degrees cooler under this attractive tree.

POLLY and TIM COOPER

Savannah

Stop illegal head-butting in college football

A way to stop flagrant and illegal head butting in college football, like the one thrown deliberately at quarterback Aaron Murray in Georgia’s loss to Alabama on Saturday, is for the opposing coach, Nick Saban, to be fined one week’s salary. Then you’ll see these brain-damaging, illegal acts stop.

Unlike the professionals, the college players have no one speaking for them, certainly not the NCAA.

As it is now, it is in the interest of colleges and their coaches to get the most out of their Saturday gladiators as they can to win games.

After all, that’s what runs college sports, isn’t it? Winning at any cost?

And for the official who was clearly there and did nothing, he should be fired by the SEC and banned from ever officiating again.

BRUCE TUTEN

Savannah

Tax hike for rich? Let’s bring it on

Deal with the poor souls only earning $250,000 or more later in 2013.

I don’t care if my philosophy risks reduced job creation or destruction of that long-awaited, trickle-down-flow of financial well-being promised repeatedly in the past.

My apologies to anyone earning more than $250,000 annually for the struggle that losing previous tax breaks will bring.

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Lets go over the cliff.
Lets all stop working and apply for welfare.
Lets all stop paying taxes.

Ask our Congress and King Obamie who will pay their way when none of us working stiffs will continue paying their way.

If we stop paying their way, then the bullets will start flying, and even the high and mighty congress and King Obamie will not be able to get and use our money they have stolen and stashed out of the country.

Until we the people stop enabeling them, they will continue to be purchased by special interest and corps. and then use our tax dollars to buy the welfare vote.

We need to wise up or this wonderful country is going down the drain in one last flush.

Here is an additional 3.8% on the earners in society. How long will the Golden Goose tolerate this without a matching decrease in wasteful welfare spending? Jobs are already fleeing America, the wealth is next. Whose going to pay for your "free" phone when there are no "rich" left in America? You guessed it - you. That "rich" definition is going to creep lower and lower as the fund voracious Congress marches on.

he called my friend an idiot for feeding abandoned cats on tybee. he didn't call animal control and milton project idiots for not helping the situation following repeated attempts by my friend to get them involved. who's the idiot now, ed?

"Whose going to pay for your "free" phone when there are no "rich" left in America? You guessed it - you. That "rich" definition is going to creep lower and lower"

Yo Enos! How much you wanna bet that the Wall Street casino and Federal "Reserve" usurious criminal enterprises bankrupt and eradicate the middle class completely, long before the "rich" definition changes much?

Q: Has the Obama administration started a program to use "taxpayer money" to give free cell phones to welfare recipients?

A: No. Low-income households have been eligible for discounted telephone service for more than a decade. But the program is funded by telecom companies, not by taxes, and the president has nothing to do with it.

Do the people receiving these cell phones pay ANYTHING for them?
Who pays the Universal Service Administrative Company charge? The cell phone carriers? In your dreams. The PAYING subscribers pay that as a surcharge(take a look at your bill). Tax money through a convoluted, obscure, government mandated service. You two are self-delusional. I'm shocked.

The free phones started before 2008. But it was for land lines only. Obama started the. Free cell phones. It is payed for by a $1:00 charge on working peoples cell phone bill. It is a add on tax. The person making money on this is a multi billionare who of course is a BIG contributor to Obama. Think it over needs to think it over.